Statement from Wicklow County Council

The Irish Times submitted two sets of questions to Wicklow County Council via Tony O'Brien Communications, a public relations company retained by it in relation to the deaths of the Bray firefighters and subsequent investigations.

The first group of seven questions was sent in July; yesterday, a further eight questions were submitted in light of the passing of sentence in the trial arising from the deaths of Brian Murray and Mark O'Shaughnessy. Both sets of questions, some of which overlapped, dealt with the council's reaction to the Garda and Health and Safety Authority investigations that led to the court case.

In neither instance was the council willing to respond. In July it said it could not because sentence had yet to be passed following its plea change to guilty. Yesterday a spokesman said that because of expected further litigation by the families of the deceased men, no comment would be made further to a statement read by county manager Eddie Sheehy outside the court yesterday.

'Distress caused'

That statement said, in full:
"Wicklow County Council accepts today's decision of the court in respect of three charges under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. By pleading guilty at an earlier court hearing to an amended indictment, Wicklow County Council accepted that there were breaches in a number of systems of work in the operation of its fire services between 2005 and 2007.

“The amended indictment importantly acknowledged that the deaths of sub-officer Brian Murray and firefighter Mark O’Shaughnessy while fighting a fire in Bray in September 2007 were not as a consequence of the breaches of the Act of 2005.

“The council understands and is sensitive to the distress caused during the course of the hearing. However, the immediate acceptance of the amended indictment facilitated the trial being brought to a close at the earliest possible date.

“Wicklow County Council again extends its deepest sympathy to the families of the deceased men, two dedicated and brave firefighters who tragically lost their lives in the incident. The council has since addressed all of the safety, health and welfare at work issues raised by the case.”

After reading the statement, Mr Sheedy was asked about his own arrest during the investigation. He declined to comment.